In airplanes, in particular in commercial aircraft, it is necessary to maintain an air pressure in the cabin space, which air pressure corresponds to the normal pressure. This means that in such aircraft in flight there is a pressure differential between the interior pressure region and the exterior region as well as certain partitioned-off regions of the airplane. In order to maintain this pressure differential it is necessary to design the fuselage accordingly and to partition off in a pressure-proof manner, by means of pressure walls, any fuselage regions that are not required as cabin space.
In the case of passenger aircraft it is thus common practice to finish off the rear of the cabin space with a pressure bulkhead, also referred to as a “rear shell”. Despite a relatively modest overpressure of approximately 0.6 bar, in flight this pressure bulkhead is subjected to relatively large loads depending on the area. Consequently, in particular in wide-bodied aircraft, very large forces can occur on the pressure bulkhead. These forces are usually taken up by the fuselage structure of the aircraft.
EP 0 217 117 A1 shows a pressure bulkhead of an aircraft, wherein in the rear region a pressure bulkhead is arranged so as to form a fuselage-internal pressure region. The pressure bulkhead has the shape of a spherical cap, from which a holding device follows on the negative-pressure side, which faces away from the cabin region. The holding device comprises a close-meshed net of interwoven belts, which net is attached to fuselage frames of the fuselage shell and has been tensioned so as to rest against the pressure bulkhead. The belts comprise plastic fibers that hold the pressure bulkhead at the rear by way of elastic spacers that are evenly distributed over the area of the pressure bulkhead. This holding device supports the pressure bulkhead as a safety device.
DE 10 2006 029 231 A1 shows a rear pressure bulkhead to form a fuselage-internal pressure region, which pressure bulkhead in the unloaded state is almost flat. As a result of this, better use can be made of the cabin space. The flat pressure bulkhead has a circular or oval design and essentially comprises a bulkhead main section surrounded by a frame. The bulkhead main section is a net-like component comprising lattice-type webbing with a circumferential edge. The frame carries this main bulkhead section and comprises a light-metal hollow profile. The web of the bulkhead main section is attached to the frame, which is riveted to the fuselage shell. A thermoplastic membrane rests in a sheet-like manner on the web of the bulkhead main section as a sealing element in order to achieve an airtight design of the planar pressure bulkhead.